Ryan Reynolds has last laugh as Wrexham leave rival manager with egg on face (2025)

Wrexham have earned their third successive promotion after going from the National League to the Championship, but not everyone is hugely enamoured with the Welsh club

Hollywood football owner Ryan Reynolds was left with the last laugh as his Wrexham side secured promotion to the Championship with victory over a manager suggested the club were a 'circus'. The Welsh side achieved success at the first time of asking in League after victory over Charlton sparked jubilant celebrations at the Racecourse Ground.

Oliver Rathbone and Sam Smith secured a comfortable win for the Dragons, who prevailed 3-0 over the Addicks. It sees Wrexham earn a third successive promotion with a game to spare in the division.

Heading into the clash, Charlton boss Nathan Jones riled the opposition with comments made looking towards the game. The London side would have still had a chance of automatic promotion if the claimed victory.

"We are not looking at the play-offs, we are not looking at Burton at home on the final game," he said. "We'll finish, we'll debrief, we'll breathe a little bit and then we'll move forward with Wrexham. It's a bumper game, we have to go to the circus and see what we can get."

Jones sparked some frustration from Wrexham ranks with opposite number Phil Parkinson outwardly noting his umbrage. The former Sunderland and Bolton boss responded by accusing Jones of disrespectful towards his side.

"It is a lack of respect to our owners, the team, the staff, the supporters and the heritage of Wrexham Football Club," he said. "But we will just concentrate on what we've got to do."

Jones attempted to clarify that his words were not mean to cause offence and were not directed at the running of the club. "I didn't mean the club or players or anything there because they are a very well run, excellent club," he said.

"The owners there have done a fantastic job, not only galvanising a club and taking the club forward, they've actually taken a community which needed it as well. It's a Welsh community, so one that has heart and they've done a magnificent job.

"What I meant was what follows Wrexham around is a lot of pomp, a lot of ceremony, a lot of cameras, a lot of coverage, a lot of scrutiny. 'They've handled that very well. At times that can be a distraction, and I don't want it to be for our thing, so that's what I meant - hopefully that clears that."

It will be Jones' initial words that are best remembered however, and the ex-Stoke coach may only be able to forget them by now guiding Charlton through the play-offs. Charlton are guaranteed to finish no lower than fifth and have thus secured their place in the semi-finals already, though their opponents remain unknown.

Stockport and Wycombe have also secured their position among the four teams to qualify with Leyton Orient and Reading battling it out for the final spot.

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